INNOVENT 204 Understanding Entrepreneurial Opportunities - Course Outlines

Course Prescription

Applies processes for creating, evaluating and realising entrepreneurial opportunities. Presents creative and analytical approaches to engage with different stakeholders and make decisions under conditions of uncertainty in a variety of entrepreneurial contexts. Skills to assess opportunities and associated business models and communicate a credible and compelling business case are introduced.

Course Overview

This course is designed for undergraduate students with an interest in the early stages of venture creation – generating and evaluating ideas and creating a potential entrepreneurial opportunity. More specifically, this course will explore the process of how scientific research (ideas) are commercialised (into entrepreneurial opportunities) and the components that need to be considered. Being a second year course, students are expected to have a foundational knowledge of business. In particular, students should have completed BUSINESS 101 and 102 or SCIGEN 201.

The goal of this course is to introduce students to the theory of entrepreneurial opportunity and how opportunities are realised in practice. Specifically, the course will encourage students to search for and evaluate an idea that is based on the use of a scientific discovery or a new technology, and then effectively communicate its potential for commercialisation. Transferable skills related to teamwork, problem-solving, and communication are developed by working in a team to build an attractive business case with investment potential. These skills will prepare students for their stage three courses in the INNOVENT major.

Course Requirements

Prerequisite: BUSINESS 101 and 102, or SCIGEN 201 Restriction: INNOVENT 202

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

Generate and evaluate ideas with a view to developing a potential entrepreneurial opportunity in science and technology. (Capability 2)
Develop a viable business case for an entrepreneurial opportunity taking into account the key stakeholders and sources of finance. (Capability 3)
Present entrepreneurial opportunities to ‘potential investors’ through the pitch presentation. (Capability 4.1)
Explain the components of a viable business model to support the existence of value creation and value capture in your business case. (Capability 4.2)
Work in a team to develop and present the business case for the entrepreneurial opportunity. (Capability 4.3)
Apply theoretical knowledge to develop a practical understanding of entrepreneurship. (Capability 1)

Assessments

Assessment Type	Percentage	Classification
Group written assignment	10%	Group & Individual Coursework
Individual test	40%	Individual Test
Group presentation	15%	Group Coursework
Group written assignment	15%	Group Coursework
Peer review	20%	Individual Coursework
5 types	100%

Assessment Type	Learning Outcome Addressed
	1	2	3	4	5	6
Group written assignment
Individual test
Group presentation
Group written assignment
Peer review

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.

For this course, you can expect 23 hours of lectures, 5 hours of guest speakers, 22 hours of reading and thinking about the content and 100 hours of work on assignments and/or test preparation.

Learning Resources

Recommended Textbook: Evers, N., Cunningham, J. and Hoholm, T. (2014) ‘Technology Entrepreneurship: Bringing Innovation to the Marketplace.’ Palgrave Macmillan: Basingstoke, UK.

This book is available as an e-book through the UoA Library and there is a hard copy in the library.

We will add links to the relevant chapters to the ‘Reading List’ Section on Canvas

Further course content will be provided online through Canvas, the University’s learning management system.

Other Information

Learning and teaching

This course engages participants through a variety of learning modes. During the course you will:

1) Attend presentations by lecturers or guest speakers.

2) Work as part of a team to plan and present an attractive business case.

3) Conduct independent research and reading.

Digital Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against online source material using computerised detection mechanisms.

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student’s own work, reflecting his or her learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the worldwide web. A student’s assessed work may be reviewed against electronic source material using computerised detection to provide an electronic version of their work for computerised review.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website at http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Students are urged to discuss privately any impairment-related requirements face-to-face and/or in written form with the courses convenor/lecturer and/or tutor.

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Course policies

Joining late

There are tight schedules associated with INNOVENT 204. One important event that happens in the first week of the semester is that students are formed into teams that work together for the whole semester. Our goal is to have balanced teams comprising 4 - 5 students. That way, the intellectual resources of the team are maximised, while maintaining a team size that students find manageable.

Late (written) assignments

Late submissions / missed assignments: no late submissions. If you have a legitimate reason please apply for an Aegrotat: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html

Requests for extensions: If needed, please apply for an Aegrotat (see above). We grant only grant An Aegrotat for medical reasons in serious circumstances and you need to provide a detailed medical certificate.

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

Problems with this course or any other course

As a general principle, the University encourages the prompt and informal resolution of all student concerns and complaints as they arise, in a collegial and non-adversarial manner.

Informal Procedures

• If you have a problem with a course please approach the lecturer in the first instance. If you feel uncomfortable in directly approaching your lecturer, then please contact your Class Representative, who may talk with your lecturer or pursue the matter at a Staff Student Consultative Committee (SSCC) meeting.

• You may approach the University Mediator’s Office or the Student Advocacy Network at any time for assistance.

• If these are deemed inappropriate then you or the Class Representative could approach the Associate Dean Academic Programmes.

Formal Procedures

• In the event that the matter is not resolved satisfactorily at an informal level, you may approach the Head of Department. For INNOVENT 204, this will be the Head of the Department of Management and International Business.

• If the grievance seems to have no reasonable ground, the Head of Department shall state in writing why, in his or her judgement, the grievance is without merit. If, however, the Head of Department sees reasonable ground for the students’ complaint, the Head shall meet with the staff member and/or with the student and staff member together in an effort to resolve the student’s grievance. The Head of Department, the ‘class rep’ who can raise issues on receipt of a complaint, may direct the issue back to the informal process if she/he feels that it is appropriate.

If neither of these approaches are appropriate.

It is anticipated that the majority of student grievances will be resolved at this stage.

• If the student is dissatisfied with the response and/or redress (or lack thereof), he or she may then appeal to the Associate Dean Academic Programmes in writing. The Associate Dean will, after appropriate consultation, inform the student of the findings with respect of their case and if necessary arrange a meeting with the student, either individually or with the staff member(s).

• If the student is dissatisfied with the response and/or redress (or lack thereof), and all other reasonable attempts to resolve the grievance have been attempted or exhausted, the grievance may be referred to the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic). The Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic), or nominee, will then convene the Academic Grievance Committee.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter (https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html).

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.

Capability 1:	Disciplinary Knowledge and Practice
Capability 2:	Critical Thinking
Capability 3:	Solution Seeking
Capability 4:	Communication and Engagement

INNOVENT 204 : Understanding Entrepreneurial Opportunities

Business and Economics

2020 Semester One (1203) (15 POINTS)